(50 Power Stone Bonus)
Chapter 90: Cosette's Return, The Banquet, and the Next Step
Very few people knew about Bell-mere's return to life. Among the residents of Cocoyasi Village, only Nami and Nojiko were aware of the truth. Nojiko had been present when Yumesaki performed the resurrection.
As for everyone else, Yumesaki didn't breathe a word—not even to Genzo. The reason was simple: a woman dead for over a decade suddenly appearing alive was too impossible to explain. If word got out, it would bring nothing but trouble to the peaceful village.
The secret had to be guarded strictly. Aside from the two sisters, no one else was told.
Furthermore, the resurrected Bell-mere couldn't remain in Cocoyasi Village; she had to move elsewhere to live out her new life.
Neither Nami nor Nojiko had any objections. Even Bell-mere herself agreed, though she couldn't stop nagging Nami, saying she shouldn't have brought her back because the risk of leaking the secret could endanger the whole village.
Nami simply took the scolding with a smile, not saying a word. Nojiko, on the other hand, thanked Yumesaki repeatedly. Without him, she would never have seen Bell-mere again. Of the two, Nojiko seemed to be the most emotionally moved by their mother's return.
While Nami and Bell-mere were busy catching up, Nojiko slowly walked up to Yumesaki's side. Her face was flushed as she spoke softly, "Lord Yumesaki, thank you for everything you've done for us."
"If Lord Yumesaki doesn't mind... I am willing to give everything I have to repay your kindness."
After blurting that out, Nojiko turned and ran off in a fit of embarrassment before Yumesaki could even respond. Those words had clearly taken every ounce of her courage.
Yumesaki stood there, blinking. "???"
Robin couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Congratulations, Boss. Your deeds have finally captured the heart of a beautiful lady. If you wish, perhaps Miss Nojiko will prepare herself and come to your bed tonight."
"Don't joke around," Yumesaki replied, sounding slightly annoyed. "You know what that is? That's taking advantage of someone's gratitude. Do I look like the type of guy who would do that?"
Robin giggled softly. "Well, one can never be too sure."
Yumesaki rolled his eyes. "If I were that kind of guy, the person lying in my bed wouldn't be Nojiko—it would be you."
Robin didn't miss a beat. "If the Boss is willing, I have no objections. Do I need to go get cleaned up?"
"Sure," Yumesaki played along. "Use a little perfume while you're at it. Not too strong, just a soft scent."
It was just banter, nothing to be afraid of. But deep down, Yumesaki felt a tiny spark of anticipation. What if Robin actually did it?
However, that night, when Yumesaki returned to his room, he found that forget Robin—the room was completely empty.
Dammit, I got my hopes up for nothing.
Time to sleep!
The next morning.
Yumesaki sent Nami, Nojiko, and Bell-mere to Wano Country. This was the result of a long discussion between the three of them. Since Bell-mere couldn't stay in Cocoyasi, they decided to move together, and Wano was the safest, most suitable place for them.
Shimotsuki Ryuma would be there to watch over them. Of course, to ensure they could protect themselves, Yumesaki granted them the ability to learn Chakra.
The people of the One Piece world had incredibly resilient physiques; with enough food and a bit of training, even those who weren't warriors could surpass ordinary humans. They were perfect candidates for Chakra.
It was during this time that Nami finally learned that Yumesaki wasn't from this world, but from another dimension entirely. The sudden news left her in shock.
She kept pestering Yumesaki, asking what the other world was like. Yumesaki eventually had to promise that if the opportunity arose in the future, he would take her there for a visit. Only then did she finally calm down.
Once Nami's affairs were settled, Yumesaki received a call from Cosette. It turned out she had been working tirelessly at the Baratie and had mastered most of the dishes there.
She had earned Head Chef Zeff's seal of approval, her culinary skills had improved by leaps and bounds, and she was officially considered a graduate. Naturally, she called immediately, hoping to return to the team.
"Of course you can."
Yumesaki agreed instantly and headed to the Baratie to pick her up. The first thing Cosette did upon her return was cook a massive, lavish feast for Yumesaki.
Yumesaki invited Ryuma, Robin, Nami, Hashirama, Tobirama, Serie, Tsunade, Shizune, Orochimaru, Kabuto, Kanae, Karin, and the rest to enjoy the banquet together. They ate until they were stuffed, thoroughly satisfied.
Yumesaki had to admit, after her stint at the Baratie, Cosette's cooking had reached a whole new level. This meal was truly exceptional.
As the feast wound down, Yumesaki took a napkin to wipe the stray oil from the corner of his mouth and said casually, "I've decided to head to Egghead to bring Vegapunk out."
At those words, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with interest. "Vegapunk? The genius scientist said to be five hundred years ahead of the rest of the world?"
Tobirama clapped his hands together. "A fine idea. If he joins us, we can produce Devil Fruits in record time."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "Beyond just Vegapunk, we shouldn't let Egghead itself go. The World Government built a state-of-the-art laboratory there to support his research."
"If we leave that lab behind, we'd not only have to spend a fortune building a new one from scratch, but we'd also waste a massive amount of time. I suggest we take the entire island of Egghead with us."
Orochimaru nodded fervently in agreement. No one understood the importance of a well-equipped lab better than him, especially when it came to rare and precious experimental tools.
Some of those items couldn't be bought even with all the money in the world. If they could seize the entire island, it would undoubtedly be the best outcome.
Tsunade frowned. "It's an entire island. How exactly do you plan on moving it?"
Yumesaki smiled. "I think I know someone who can help us with that."
"Who?" Tsunade asked.
"Shiki the Golden Lion," Robin answered for him. "His Float-Float Fruit has been mastered to its absolute limit—it might even be Awakened. Making an island like Egghead float would be child's play for him."
Tsunade certainly knew of Shiki, but there was one problem...
"Are you sure that arrogant pirate will actually help us?" In her memory, the Golden Lion wasn't exactly known for being cooperative; if anything, he was ruthless.
"He will," Yumesaki said with a faint, confident smile.
Seeing his certainty, Tsunade didn't press further. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's move out."
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